Containers



Sept. 21, 1965 o. L. w. SHORT CONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29,1963 I nvmvrok Dona \d L W. Shorf Sept. 21, 1965 D. L. w. SHORTCONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1963 /NVEN7'OR Donaki L.W-Show r B) W m maww ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1965 D. L. w. SHORT 3,207,390

CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 29, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WW L M/VENTOR DonaldLVW. Sheri BY g am "m mm Y1,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,207,390 CONTAINERS Donald LaurenceWalter Short, London, England, assignor to Burroughs Wellcome & Co.(U.S.A.), Inc., Tuckahoe, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 29,1963, Ser. No. 254,627 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan,30, 1962, 3,547/ 62 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-553) This invention relates tocontainers of the kind formed of two or more parts including a bodyhaving an open end or neck and a cap fitting over and rotatable aboutthe open end or neck so that an aperture in the Wall of the cap can bemoved into register with an aperture in the Wall of the body to permitremoval of contents of the container or out of register with theaperture in the wall of the body to prevent egress of the contents.

With a container of this kind in which the cap is capable of beingfreely rotated through 360 about the axis of the container, movement ofthe apertures in the cap and body into or out of register with oneanother is a matter of chance or trial and error and with containers ofsmall size may be a matter of some difiiculty.

Furthermore in the operation of applying the caps to large numbers offilled containers mechanically it is neces sary that the applied capsshall have a final position relative to the body in which the aperturesin the caps and bodies are out of register in order to ensure retentionand protection of the contents prior to sale or distribution of thefilled containers. Problems arise in this connection due to thedifficulty of so orienting the cylindrical bodies and caps beforeassembly that the apertures will always be out of register afterassembly, and inspection and picking out of, and adjusting by hand theparts of containers which are found to be open or partly open iseconomically prohibitive.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved form ofcontainer of the kind indicated, with which the above describeddisadvantages are overcome.

The invention consists in a container formed of parts including a bodypart having a cylindrical end or neck and a cap fitting over androtatable about said cylindrical end or neck, an aperture in a wall ofthe end or neck of the body part and an aperture in the wall of the cappart capable of being brought into or out of register with the aperturein the wall of the end or neck of the body part by relative rotationbetween said two parts, and a projection upon one of said two partsengaged in a slot extending in a general circumferential direction inthe other of said two parts and constituting a stop for engagement withthe ends of said slot, the location and dimensions of the slot beingsuch as to determine terminal positions of the cap part relative to thebody part in one of which the apertures in the two parts are in registerand in the other of which both apertures are masked.

In some cases the two apertures are formed respectively, one in the sidewall of the cylindrical end or neck of the body part and the other inthe skirt portion of the cap part and the projection is formed in thecap part and engages in a generally circumferentially extending slotformed in the body part.

Conveniently the aperture and the circumferentially extending slot inthe body part may be formed as a single recess adjacent the free edge ofthe end or neck of the body part with one edge of the recess open at thefree edge of the end or neck.

Alternatively the body part of the container may be wholly or partlyclosed by a wall at the free end of the cylindrical end or neck and theapertures formed respectively one in the end wall of the cap part andthe other in the wall partly or wholly closing the end or neck of thebody part and the projection formed on the underside of the end wall ofthe cap part and the slot for engagement by the projection formed in thewall partly or wholly closing the end or neck of the body part.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

G. 1 is a view in sectional elevation of the body part of one form ofthe improved container,

FIG. 2 is a view in sectional elevation of the cap part for use with thebody part of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view in plan of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a view in underside plan of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a view in sectional elevation of a part of the body part ofthe container with the cap part applied thereto, the cap part beingshown in one of its terminal positions,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 in its other terminal position,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the manner inwhich the cap part is retained on the body part,

FIG. 8 is a view in sectional elevation of a modified form of the bodypart of the improved container,

FIG. 9 is a view in sectional elevation of a cap part for use with thebody part of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a view in plan of FIG. 8,

FIG. 11 is a view in plan of FIG. 9,

FIG. 12 is a view in plan showing the cap part of FIG. 9 applied to thebody part of FIG. 8, and

FIG. 13 shows diagrammatically a form of apparatus suitable for use inthe mechanical execution of the final steps in applying cap parts tobody parts of the improved containers.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6 the container here shown comprises a hollowbody part 1 and a cap part 2. The body part 1 here shown is closed atits lower end and has a circular cylindrical and open upper end or neck3, the ex terior of which is of slightly tapered form decreasing towardsthe free end edge 4, an external shoulder 5 being presented at thejunction of the parts 1 and 3. The cap part 2 comprises a flat closedend 6 and a skirt 7 of internal tapering form corresponding to that ofthe exterior of the end or neck 3 of the body part 1 and such that thecap 2 is a free rotatable fit around the end or neck 3 when mountedthereon with the lower edge of the skirt 7 against or close to theshoulder 5 and the closed end 6 of the cap 2 against or close to thefree end edge 4 of the end or neck 3.

In the side wall of the end or neck 3 of the body part 1 is formed acut-out or recess 8 to provide an aperture 9 of predetermined dimensionswith one side thereof open at the free end edge 4 of the end or neck 3.The aperture 9 is shown as being of rectangular form but other shapesmay be used.

The cut-out or recess 8 is of a shape to provide a circumferentialextension 10 at one side of the aperture 9 also open at the free end oredge 4 of the end or neck 3, this extension being of predeterminedcircumferential length and of an axial dimension less than that of theaperture 9.

On the outer surface of the end or neck 3 of the body part 1 andadjacent to but spaced from the shoulder 5 is formed an outwardlyprotruding and encircling projection 11 of arcuate section shown on anenlarged scale in FIG. 7.

In the skirt 7 of the cap 2 is formed an aperture 12 of dimensionssimilar to those of the aperture 9 in the end or neck 3 of the body partand with one of its sides adjacent or close to the closed top 6 of thecap, and on the underside of the closed end 6 of the cap at one side ofthe aperture 12 and extending radially inwards from the skirt 7 isformed a projection 13 of an axial but with the cap part length notgreater than the axial dimension of the extension of the recess 8 in thebody part 1.

The lower part of the skirt 7 of the cap 2 is circumferentially recessedon the inner side as shown at 14 to provide a skirt part of reducedthickness extending over approximately one half of the width of theskirt 7 and bounded at its lower edge by an inwardly directed shoulder16, thereby defining an internal rim 17 at the lower edge of the skirt 7of an axial width related to that between the external shoulder 5 andthe encircling projection 11 on the body part 1.

To assemble the container the cap 2 is applied over the end or neck 3 ofthe body part 1 with the internal projection 13 of the cap 2 entered inthe cut-out or recess 8 of the end or neck 3 and pressure exerted tocause the internal rim 17 on the lower end of the thinner part 15 of theskirt 7 of the cap to snap past the encircling projection 11 on the bodypart 1 so that the cap 2 becomes locked upon the body part 1.

Thereafter the cap 2 can be rotated on the end or neck 3 in eitherdirection to move the projection 13 in the guide slot formed by therecess 8, in one direction until the projection 13 meets the closed endof the extension 10 of the recess 8 as shown in FIG. 5 in which positionthe apertures 9 and 12 in the body part 1 and cap part 2 are in registerwith one another to permit egress of contents of the container, and inthe other direction until the projection 13 of the cap meets the edge ofthe aperture 9 in the end or neck 3 of the body part 1 at the end of therecess 8 remote from the extension 10 as shown in FIG. 6 in whichposition the apertures 9 and 12 are out of register with one another andboth are fully masked so that the container is fully closed.

In FIGS. 8 to 12 there is illustrated an alternative form of theimproved container.

In this case the apertures permitting the extraction of contents of thecontainer are in an end wall of the container.

As shown, the end or neck 3 of the body part 1 is provided with aninwardly directed flange 19, and the cut-out or recess 8 is formed inthe flange 19 to provide the aperture 9 and the slot extension 10 (FIGS.8 and 10) of the body part 1, the recess 8 and therefore the aperture 9and the slot extension 10 being in this case open at the inner peripheryof the inwardly-directed flange 19.

The cap 2 is of a generally similar form to that of the previouslydescribed embodiment and an aperture 12 is formed in the flat endsurface 6 of a size similar to that of the aperture 9 in the flange 19,and in a position spaced radially from the upper edge of the cap by adistance such that by rotation of the cap 2 when mounted on the end orneck 3 the apertures 9 and 12 can be brought into or out of registerwith one another.

At the underside of the flat end surface 6 of the cap 2 and at apredetermined distance to one side of the aperture 12 in the cap isformed the projection 13 for sliding engagement in the slot extension 10of the cut-out or recess 8 in the flange 19 on the end or neck 3 of thebody part 1.

Mounting and locking of the cap 2 on the end or neck 3 of the body part1 is effected in a similar manner to that previously described, and itwill readily be seen that rotation of the cap 2 relative to the bodypart 1, in one direction, i.e. counterclockwise in the drawings, untilthe projection 13 in the cap 2 engages the end of the slot extension 10in the flange 19 will bring the two apertures 9 and 12 into registerwith one another as shown in FIG. 11 so that contents of the containercan be removed. Rotation of the cap 2 in the reverse direction relativeto body part 1 until the projection 13 meets the side of the aperture 9furthest from the slot extension 10 will result in relative displacementof the two apertures 9 and 12 to positions as shown in FIG. 12 in whichthe apertures are out of register and both are masked and the containertherefore closed against egress of contents.

The construction according to FIGS. 8 to 12 lends itself readily tocontainers intended to be filled at the end remote from the cap. Such acontainer may be provided with a plug such as is shown at 20 in FIG. 8for closing the lower end. The plug may be of the hollow constructionshown with thin side walls 21 presenting an outwardly projecting rim 22adapted to make snap-lock retaining engagement with an internalcircumferential projection 23 inside the lower end of the container.

The improved containers may be formed of a variety of materials, such asmetal or plastics capable of being fabricated to appropriate small wallthickness and satisfactory containers can be produced by the process ofinjection moulding utilising polystyrene for the body parts andpolythene for the caps, the latter offering elastic characteristicssuited to the snap-locking of the caps on the bodies.

Utilising these and other plastic materials, the rim 17 at the lower endof the skirt 7 of the cap 2 may be shaped in cross section as shown inFIG. 7 to present an upward bulge 18 which in the assembled conditionexerts elastic upward pressure on the underside of the encirclingprojection 11 on the body part 1 tending to hold the tapered skirt 7 ofthe cap 2 down in smooth rotational surface contact with the taperedexternal surface of the end or neck 3 of the body part 1.

FIG. 13 shows diagrammatically a form of apparatus suitable for lockingthe caps 2 on the bodies 1 of the containers and delivering thecontainers in the closed condition that is to say with the apertures 9and 12 in the non-registering and masked position.

The apparatus comprises a flexible and intermittently driven conveyorband 24 having a surface 25 of rubber and moving over a number of spacedsupporting rollers 26 of which two are shown.

Above the conveyor band is mounted a motor 27 e.g. a pneumaticallydriven motor, embodying a slipping clutch or like device and driving adownwardly-facing hollow chuck 28 lined with a rubber pad 29.

At the underside of the conveyor band 24 between an adjacent pair of therollers 26 and below the chuck 28 is mounted a platform 30 capable of upand down guided movement under the control of a reciprocating member 31coupled to the platform 30 by parallel links 32, Whereby a part of theconveyor band 24 between the rollers 26 may be deflected from the normalpath upwards towards the chuck 28.

The containers with the caps 2 applied over the ends or necks 3 of thebody parts 1 by any convenient known form of feed mechanism are loadedon to the rubbercovered conveyor band 24, 25 and suitably locatedthereon e.g. by engagement with projections on the rubber surfacinglayer 25 and are taken in succession between guide fences 33 to aposition beneath the chuck 28 in which they may be located e.g. by meansof a movable temporary stop 34.

The timing is such that with a container in position beneath the chuck28 in rotation under the drive of the driving motor 27 the platform 30rises to deflect the part of the conveyor band 28 between the pair ofrollers 26 upwards so that the upper end of the cap 2 engages the rubberpad 29 in the rotating chuck 28 with pressure. The rubber cover 25 ofthe conveyor 24 holds the body 1 of the container by friction againstrotation and the cap 2 is rotated on the body 1 by frictional engagementwith the rubber pad 29 in the rotating chuck 24 and assuming that thestop 13 of the cap 2 is over the cut-out or recess 8, the rim 17 of thecap will be pressed past the projection 11 on the body 1 and the caprotated on the body until the stop 13 meets the end of the recess 8remote from the slot extension 10 whereupon the rotation of the cap 2 bythe chuck 28 is caused to cease by reaction either by virtue of theslipping clutch or interruption of the pneumatic drive of the motor 27.

2 is locked upon the body 1 and the cap is in the position on the bodypart 1 in which the holes are out of register and the containertherefore fully closed.

If the container is presented 2 in a position in which the stop 13 isnot opposite the cutout or recess 8 engagement of the cap with therubber pad 29 in the rotating chuck rotates the cap with the stop 13sliding upon the upper edge 4 of the 1 of FIG. 1 or over the surface ofthe end flange 19 of the container of FIG. 8 until it is capable ofmoving into the extension slot 10 of the recess 8, so that the cap ispermitted to move axially downwards to cause the rim 17 on its lower endto pass the projection 11 to lock the cap on the body. Thereafter thecap is rotated as previously described into the position of non-registerof the holes 9 and 12 and total closure of the container.

I claim:

A container comprising a body portion having an open ended hollowdelivery neck, said delivery neck being formed with a generallycylindrical wall carrying to the chuck with the cap a generallycylindrical skirt on said cap having an annular bead formed on itslocking relation with the Ill) on said delivery neck on assembly of thesaid cap onto the said delivery neck, said cap skirt being formed with acap discharge opening adjacent the end wall of the cap, being adapted toregister with said neck discharge opening, said cap having an internalprojection depending from the inside of the cap top adapted to extendinto said neck discharge open ing and said circumferential extensionthereof when the parts are assembled, the inner edge of saidcircumferential extension, together with the internal projection,serving to limit the rotational movement of the said cap relative to theopen end of the delivery neck when the neck discharge opening and thecap discharge opening are in alignment, the spacing cylindrical skirtfrom the cap fiat end annular rib being at least such that they engagein interlocking relation after the said projection on the cap enters thesaid neck sembly the cap need only be applied to the delivery neck anexternal diameter less than the internal diameter of said cap bead, theinner Wall of said cap skirt being provided with a circumferentialrecess between said end wall and said head spaced from said end wall toprovide an elastic zone of relatively small thickness in the said skirtportion.

References Cited by the Examiner RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

